Christmas Day : ( Dinner for 16 ) - Cheese and Fruit Tray, Taco Dip ( meat version and veggie version ) - this does not really go with dinner - but is a particular family favorite. My Nephews fiancee is vegetarian and she commented last year that it smeeled so good - she might just cheat ( it has sausage ). This year -0 I made a bean ad=nd veggie based version - she was very surprised and pleased. I overheard her telling her fiancee - my Nephew - how nice it is that I make veggie food, but just incorporate it in so she doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.

Tomorrow - we had a whole lasagna leftover and our Venezuelan friends had a lot of empanadas and Venezuelan food. We are getting together for lunch and pooling leftovers. They cant wait for lasagna and I can't wait for empanadas.

I'm headed to a friend's for one of our favorite dinners: salad, steamed green beans, baguette and all the brie and European style butter we can stand. It's so simple but we do this every time we get together.

I'm headed to a friend's for one of our favorite dinners: salad, steamed green beans, baguette and all the brie and European style butter we can stand. It's so simple but we do this every time we get together.

She surprised me with a different menu! We had toasted sandwiches with goat cheese, roasted winter squash and pecans, and a little bit of honey, with a side of roasted mixed veggies. It was delicious and I'm going to have to make more of those sandwiches.

Wow, we spent 3 hours making 2 different empanadas: black bean and corn for dinner (plus cilantro chimichurri and plain yogurt) and apple-raisin minis for dessert. Plus a salad (spinach, pomegranate, Mandarin orange, tomato and carrots) and chips and salsa. Friends brought the wine, and a successful first dinner party (5 months after moving in) was had.